


In Too Deep

by Luciole77



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crime Fighting, Heavy BDSM, M/M, Multi, Murder, Police, Undercover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-11 07:15:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5617960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luciole77/pseuds/Luciole77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern day AU.  Saitou is moved to Tokyo to go undercover against a murder for hire ring to assist an even deeper undercover figure.  He finds he also has to work with his hated nemesis Himura Kenshin.  Will he survive this latest mission or be driven completely insane by it. To make it all a million times worse, he thinks he may be falling for the absolute idiot he is sent help.</p><p>Update: I have upped the rating after some rather heavy BDSM action...Saitou was far more sadistic than I first thought to make him...but I'm pretty happy with it.</p><p>Also...I do not have a Beta....so there are bound to be mistakes that my eyes and spelling/grammar checks miss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oh Kami, not you.

Saitou Hajime unlocked the door to his new rat hole of an apartment and looked around.  It did not disappoint, it was just as beat up and grimy as he had expected.  Kami, how he hated working undercover, but when the flipping leader of the country calls and casually asks you to do something...well, you do it.  He dropped the box he was holding and walked through the rest of the apartment.  Two bedrooms, one bathroom, a cramped living room and a kitchen with dubious claims to a working stove and fridge.  He raked a hand through his hair and headed back down the stairs, the movers he had hired did not actually move boxes so they were waiting on him to empty his stuff from their truck.

An hour later the "movers" were gone, his new car was parked in his own parking space and he was putting his bed together.  He already missed his car, it was a fully loaded SUV that would go anywhere he wanted it to.  The car he was driving for this assignment was a 10 year old generic silver car and he hated it with a passion.  He also already missed his apartment, which was amazingly awesome.  You could afford nice things when you saved the government from disaster for a career, unfortunately you also had to be away from those nice things a fair bit to actually accomplish that work.  Every perk had a down side as far as he was concerned.  He finished up with his bed and put his clothes away, he then arranged his ratty living room furniture and deep cleaned his kitchen.  He had insisted on an unfurnished apartment for a reason...he did not want bed bugs.  He kept an entire house full of old looking furniture just for these kinds of assignments and he was terribly thankful for that foresight with this mission.  He looked down at his watch after all his house keeping chores were finished, it was nearly time for dinner so he decided to do a bit of grocery shopping and maybe grab a pizza on the way back.  His contacts would be stopping by sometime around midnight so he still had plenty of time.

He was lightly dozing on the couch when a hard knock at the door woke him.  It took him a moment to get up and to the door and when he did open it he really wished he hadn't.  Standing there with an infuriating smile on his face was the very last person he wanted to see.  Himura Kenshin, the only person in the entire world he hated with more passion than his ex-wife.  He looked like a druggie, his red hair was messy, his jeans ripped in various places, shirt stained under an old leather jacket.  The work boots on his feet looked like they were falling apart.

"What the fuck do you want?" Saitou asked with as much venom as he could muster.

Kenshin smiled and shoved his way into the apartment, "How the hell are ya, buddy?" He asked as Saitou shut the door and locked it.  As soon as the door was shut the red head was all business. "Did your move go well?"

"Hn.  Of course, if by well you mean completely and totally craptastic." Saitou answered, he retrieved a couple of beers from the fridge and tossed one at Kenshin, who caught it deftly.  "You are going to be my contact?"

Kenshin took a swig of his beer, "Yep.  I've been working in this area for a while now.  I will be your link to the local police.  The person you will be working with is in extremely deep and because of that he is constantly in extreme danger.  He is somewhat of a bit of a superstar in this case, so you will be acting as a bodyguard for him.  He is the kenkaya Sagara Sanosuke, ever hear of him?"

"Yes, I hear he's very good a nearly killing people." Saitou answered, he sat down on the couch and propped his feet on a beaten up end table. "How the hell did the police get him to work for them?"

Kenshin smiled again, "That's the thing.  He has always worked for them.  He's in that deep.  However, this latest case is becoming a problem.  His current employer has started targeting people in the local government, luring their sons into fighting mainly and then having them killed off or kidnapped.  He's started asking Sagara to just kill them in the ring.  Sagara is not so keen on doing this, so it's been causing him some trouble.  This boss is getting impatient with Sagara putting him off, but we can't just up and pull him out and make him disappear.  We need you to help him.  Sagara is truly a fighter, he feeds us info but that is all.  He's no cop and doesn't want to be.  You will need to do everything you can to protect him from his employer until we can take him down."

Saitou sighed, he was going to be a babysitter. "I hate babysitting.  Who is this boss anyway?"

"Makoto Shishio." Kenshin said without emotion, he sat calmly through the five minutes of cussing that were thrown his way and then responded, "I take it you have heard of him."

Saitou, who had been pacing, sat back down and drained his beer. "Yes and if I had known this was about him I would have told them to fuck off."

Kenshin laughed a little, "No you wouldn't have.  I know you better than that, you live to see people like him dead.  That is exactly why you were the one called to do this.  You and I may be the only ones who can kill him."

"Shit, and just how do you get to him?  You look like a crack addict." Saitou snapped at him, he got up and fetched more beer.

"I am his supplier of various substances and women of dubious morals." Was the reply given by the smiling red head, "I also am a friend of Zanza, so I actually end up spending a fair amount of time around Shishio."

"Women of dubious morals, you're a pimp." Saitou found this hilariously funny and it took him a few minutes before he could continue with the conversation.  Before the two parted ways he had all the information he needed and a firm understanding of what he would be walking into when he finally met with the famous Zanza.  He was due to meet him in the afternoon, so after committing all the information to memory he crawled in his bed fully intending to sleep until at least eleven.  He was hoping the extra rest would at least make the next day more bearable.

 


	2. Hello...oh, hell

He shoved past patrons of the fighting ring trying to make his way to the back.  He had checked the place inside and out three times before he finally went to meet his new client.  The place was packed with people, most of them already on their way to being completely drunk.  Tonight's fight was supposed to be huge, Zanza was to face some huge opponent from the other side of the country.  Outrageous bets were being placed on him to beat Zanza and it looked like Shishio was going to make a huge amount of money tonight.  He finally made it past the crowds and slipped behind the scenes to the rather quiet back halls.  He had to admit Shishio had a nice thing going here...if it were not for the murder people and take over the country.  He finally found himself standing before a door with a nameplate that read Zanza, he knocked and waited.

"Yeah...come in." A rough voice commanded through the door.  Saitou opened the door and stepped through and got his first good look at his new mission.  Sagara Sanosuke was intimidating to say the least, though not tall he was solid muscle.  His hair stuck up in a gravity defying array of spikes, his bangs held out of his eyes by a red bandana.  His torso was wrapped in cloth bandages as were his hands and lower legs, he wore white loose fitting pants and a matching jacket with the symbol for "wicked" on the back.  Saitou smiled, wicked indeed.  

"So, are you my new bodyguard?" He asked, his eyes twinkling at the irony of the entire situation.  Zanza, possibly the strongest fighter in Japan needing a bodyguard.  It was hilarious.

Saitou gave a low laugh, "I am.  Name's Rin."  He walked over to the fighter and stuck out his hand, smiling Zanza shook his hand firmly.

"Rin, eh?  You can call me Zanza, for now." He smiled and let his hands rest on Saitou's shoulders as he leaned in closer.  "Maybe you can call me Sano once we know each other better, ne?"

Saitou blinked, he had not been told the fighter was gay, nor that he was such a flirt.  He went with it anyway and replied smoothly, "Sounds fun."

A knock at the door caused the fighter to shift his attention to the door and away from Saitou.  He went to sit on a couch as he watched the man he was supposed to try to kill walk in.  Shishio was wrapped head to toe in bandages, a necessity due to horrific burns he received in a fire. He took in the room his eyes moving over Saitou and then back to him, "Who's this?"

Zanza looked over his shoulder, "That's Rin.  He's my new bodyguard." He grinned and looked back to Shishio.

He shook his head, "That's funny.  You needing a bodyguard.  You know, you don't have to lie, I don't really care who you sleep with as long as you win fights for me."  He sat down a stack of boxes and continued, "Speaking of, your fight tonight is an important one.  I need it to last and make it look good. "

"Don't I always?" The fighter replied, he plopped down next to Saitou. "I know my job."

"Hmmm....sometimes I wonder.  Have you given any more thought to what I proposed?"

The fighter looked substantially annoyed, "I told you, whether they live or die is not up to me.  I'm a fighter, not an assassin.  I will beat them down till they can no longer move, if they die because of that...not my problem.  I won't intentionally kill anyone."

Saitou had been sitting nearly motionless with his head tilted back and eyes closed, he heard the annoyance in Sanosuke's voice and he heard the implied threat in the reply from Shishio. "We will see.  I have no use for someone who doesn't take orders.  Don't mess this fight up."  With that Saitou heard him get up and leave.  The silence continued several minutes after the door had shut after Shishio.

Sano shifted to place his head in Saitou's lap and looked at him for a few minutes before asking, "So, your place or mine tonight?"

Saitou smirked, "Mine tonight." Sano nodded at this and closed his eyes to rest before his upcoming fight.


	3. Where are the bandages again?

Saitou finally stumbled into his apartment at three the next morning,  he was all but carrying a mostly unconscious fighter.  He kicked the door shut behind him and drug Sanosuke to his bedroom and let him fall onto the bed.  He flipped the light on and drew the curtains before a knock interrupted him.  He made it back to the door and flung it open to reveal an annoyed looking Himura.  He stepped aside and let him in without a word before bolting the door and heading back to the bedroom.  Kenshin followed him and once he saw that Sanosuke was breathing pulled out a small black box and looked at Saitou who nodded his head.  After both were confident the apartment was devoid of any listening devices Saitou spoke.

"What the hell?" He asked as he pulled out a rather impressive first aid kit from under the bed.  "I can not protect him while he's actually in the ring fighting Himura."

Kenshin who was returning from the bathroom with a bowl of warm water and several towels growled. "I didn't expect this to happen so soon.  Shishio is crazy, but he usually waits to off someone until there are no witnesses."

Saitou began pulling Sanosuke from his clothes while Kenshin started wiping away blood, it wasn't long before Saitou was stitching up the large gash across the fighter's side.  He couldn't help shake his head when he remembered how the evening had gone.  Zanza had come out swinging, true to form and he had wailed on his opponent.  He was drawing it out, exactly how Shishio wanted when the opponent had pulled what could only be described as a sacrificial dagger out and stabbed the fighter in the shoulder.  He had gotten the second cut in before Saitou had shot him in the head.  Shishio had been livid at the ending of the fight.  He had come looking for "Rin's" head, but had gotten stonewalled by the bodyguard.  Saitou wasted no time in calling the attempt on the fighter's life a plot by Shishio himself.  Of course, he was quick to deny it and claim he was only angry that the man had been shot and killed.  Saitou had laughed at him and told him it was his job to protect Zanza's life and from there he had taken him and left.  He wasn't sure what route Kenshin had used to get to his apartment, but he was sure he had not been followed.  Himura Kenshin was one of very few people in the country that could literally disappear when he chose to.  He finished with his stitches and wrapped  both wounds with bandages, from there they pulled the still unconscious fighter into a more comfortable position and retreated to the living room.

"So, what did the freak have to say after I was gone?" Saitou asked as he threw a beer at Himura.

Kenshin downed half the beer before answering, "He was pissed.  Said he had payed good money to have that dude kill Sano.  I told him that he shouldn't be in such a rush, that Sano usually came around after a bit.  I put the idea in his head that once he was healed up he would definitely agree to start taking out targets."

Saitou nodded, it was nothing surprising.  If they were going to close this case and get rid of Shishio, Zanza was going to have to pull his end and kill people.  Or at least appear to.  There were several ways that could be accomplished, Saitou knew of half a dozen poisons that would mimic death for a sufficient length of time. "Yes, he will fall in line.  We have to finish this.  I'm thinking it will take a good six weeks for him to heal enough to fight again, give him two weeks before we take him to see Shishio and he agrees to do the killing.  I've got several poisions that will work wonders, can be placed on the bandages he wears and can be absorbed through the skin and cuts as he is fighting.  Just make sure he wears a double layer of bandages and doesn't touch himself.  There's one that we can mix into the water of the opponent that will take effect in around half an hour and mimics a heart attack...takes around six hours to wear off.  Plenty of time.  We'll decide which to use on a case by case basis."

Kenshin yawned, "Sounds good.  I'm gonna get some sleep...oh and I actually live across the hall from you.  Forgot to tell you the other night.  I've had that apartment for years, so it still looks like a coincidence to anyone who looks into it.  And given that you will be guarding Sano and he and I are close friends...it will be natural that we begin to hang out as well.  I know you are looking forward to it." He grinned as he got to his feet.

"Yay.  Neighbors with you...who did I piss off this time?"  He received no answer as Kenshin let himself out, he finished his beer before locking the door again and heading to bed himself.  Sano was still sleeping soundly, in fact he had not moved an inch, so Saitou eased into the bed beside him and tried to not think as he fell asleep.


	4. The Firefly comes for a visit

Saitou opened his golden eyes around noon, Sanosuke still slept soundly beside him.  He rubbed his face and rolled out of the bed, he didn't even make it into the shower before someone started knocking on his door.  Grumbling he threw open the door to stare grouchily into Kenshin's face.  He didn't even speak, he just turned and went back to take his shower leaving Kenshin to do whatever it was he was coming over to do.  He could not believe he was having to put up with him, he hated Himura Kenshin with a passion.  There was never a peaceful moment near the red head, this was something he knew all too well.  The two had served in the war together and had been through more deadly situations together than he could count.  Kenshin had saved his life many times, as he had saved Kenshin's.  They worked so well together that they were always assigned together, even though he could not stand the continuously cheerful countenance of Kenshin.  He tried to pin down the moment he really began to hate him as he was standing under the hot water, and he finally came up with the thought that it must have been when Tokio left him.  His ex-wife had been pregnant when he had returned from his tour of duty, he remembered seeing her and her new boyfriend when he walked into his house for the first time in four years.  The divorce had been quick and painful for Tokio, given his friends in the government she ended up paying him alimony and he got to keep everything.  It also meant that he did not even get arrested for the unfortunate injuries her boyfriend mysteriously suffered upon his return home.  Kenshin, on the other hand, had returned to his wife and their life had taken up where it had left off, their love as strong as ever; Saitou hated him for it.  Then he remembered that Himura Kenshin had suffered as well, not a year after their return his wife Tomoe had died from a gunshot wound in a robbery when she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He tried to shake all these thoughts from his head as he got dressed, he didn't want to think about this today...things were going to be annoyingly difficult during this mission and he really needed to concentrate.

He found his bed empty as he walked through it on his way to the living room.  Sanosuke was sitting in an armchair looking like nothing was wrong in the slightest, Kenshin was stretched out on the couch telling him everything that had happened the night before.  Saitou knocked Kenshin's feet out of his way and sat down, Kenshin never missed a beat and simply propped his feet in Saitou's lap after he had settled on the couch.  Sanosuke cocked his head a little at this, but said nothing as Kenshin was still talking.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" The fighter asked once Kenshin was finished filling him in.

"You are going to spend a few weeks here, recovering.  Then we will go see Shishio and you will have a sudden change of heart and fall in line and start killing people for him." Saitou replied, he held his hand up for Sano to keep quiet as the fighter nearly leaped out of his chair upon hearing this. "Ahou, don't get ahead of me.  You will be killing no one in reality, we will be using a variety of poisons to fake the deaths until we can take Shishio down."

Sano thought this over, "Fine, whatever.  I'm starving...let's get some food."

Kenshin pulled his phone from his pocket and tossed it to Sano, "Go ahead, order for all of us.  Oh, and for Hotaru too, she is coming by soon."

Sano smirked, "Ho-chan is coming by.  Oh goodie!" He laughed as he looked at Saitou, "She will love Rin here."

Saitou did not like the sound of that, he cut his eyes at Kenshin. "Who is Hotaru?"

"My 'sister'.  She works with me from time to time.  Shishio has met her and likes her well enough.  She is as much of a distraction as Misao ever was."

Saitou smirked at the mention of the weasel, Misao was young and she was like a tornado.  She showed up, destroyed everything and left before you could even get your bearings.  She came from a family of spies, which amazed Saitou, and she was actually a very accomplished ninja, which amazed Saitou even more.  Sometimes he missed the teen, mainly when he needed evidence destroyed.

A knock at the door seemed a little too well timed.


	5. It's annoying when you can't shoot people

Saitou nearly found himself flat on the floor the moment he opened the door.  He was aware of a squeal of delighted laughter and a reddish blur rushing past him to tackle Kenshin as he struggled to stay on his feet by hanging onto the door.  Once he had his balance and the door shut he turned and tried to follow the seemingly nonstop flow of words coming from the latest invasion of his privacy.  It did not take him long to agree with Kenshin, whoever this Hotaru was she was almost exactly like the weasel.  She seemed to be marginally more respectful of other people’s property though, as she had yet to break anything.  He grabbed another round of beer and reclaimed his seat as she was finishing up whatever tale she had been telling.  Once that was done, she seamlessly transferred her attention to Saitou.

“Wow, bubs, he’s hot.”  Was her assessment of his person.  He did not get to reply though before he found himself bodily snatched up and settled into Sanosuke’s lap.  It took almost every ounce of patience he had not to smack the fighter.  He settled for words instead.

“Ahou, will you please not do that?!  I just stitched you up a mere 10 hours ago.”  He attempted to free himself from the fighter, but was unable to do so as the man seemed to have grown several more arms.

“Hands off, sister!  He belongs to me!”  The fighter announced as he thwarted yet another escape attempt by the stoic man in his lap.

Hotaru shook her head, “Exactly how did you come to that conclusion?”

“We just got together last night.” Was the aloof reply, which quickly earned another snide question.

“Then how do you know he doesn’t like women too?  Eh, rooster?  He might like me better than you!”

This back and forth continued for several more minutes as Saitou continued to try and remove himself without injuring the fighter until Sanosuke managed to catch him off-guard yet again by picking him up again and repositioning him in a much more compromising position stated, “This is how I know.”  And promptly pulled Saitou’s face down to his and kissed him.

Saitou thought he heard Kenshin say something along the lines of, “Holy shit.”, but he couldn’t be sure as almost every iota of his being was focused on the man who was currently kissing him as though he intended to devour him.  A small portion of his brain was telling him, in a very firm tone, that he should stop this right now.  He should teach this annoying kid a lesson for even daring to think about this, let alone doing it.  However, the rest of his brain promptly told the nagging part to shut the hell up, it had been far too long since he had felt anything this nice and he might as well enjoy it, and thus he found his arms winding around Sano’s neck and his body pressing closer to the fighter.

When his mouth was released, he moved his lips close to the fighter’s ear and whispered, “You will pay for that.  Be glad you’re hurt and I’m being nice.” He nipped Sano’s ear for good measure and sat up, he did not remove himself from his position astride the fighter’s lap however.  He glanced over his shoulder a bit at the wide-eyed girl, “Does that answer your questions?”

Hotaru blinked a few times and seemed to be readjusting her take on the world before she nodded.  Kenshin shook his head, had a small coughing fit and then smacked his “sister” on the shoulder.  “I told you.  You should learn to listen to me.  Honestly, you’d think by now you wouldn’t do this.”

From there they continued with their plans and by the time the take out had arrived everyone was on the same page.  Hotaru, it turned out, played the part of a very high end call girl.  Thankfully she did not have to worry about Shishio due to his having a girlfriend.  Her clients were actually people Shishio wanted dead, she would offer her services and they would conveniently disappear.  Shishio called her his “little black widow”, when, in reality, those targets were moved to safe houses…or prisons in some cases.

“What a group.” Saitou commented as they ended their meeting, “The drug dealer slash pimp, his hooker sister, the horniest fighter alive and me babysitting all of you.” 

Kenshin paused at the door, “Don’t act like you don’t love us.”  He ushered Hotaru out the door and waved before he closed it behind him.

He moved to get up from where he was *still* straddling the fighter, but Sano held him in place a moment longer. “You gonna make me pay now?”  He pushed his hips against Saitou’s, “Cause, I’ll be honest I’m looking forward to it.”

Saitou took a few moments to give the half thoughts that had been strolling through his brain undivided attention.  Yes, the boy was amazingly good looking.  He was confident, annoyingly so, but it was a quality Saitou liked in a lover.  He couldn’t stand someone who lacked confidence in themselves.  Honestly, he had let this happen when he did not rebuff the boy the first time he met him.  He had to admit, in his own mind, that he did want Sanosuke.  It was unprofessional.  It was against protocol.  It was morally wrong.  It could get both of them killed.  He still wanted him, though, if he was honest with himself he had wanted him since he had first laid eyes on him. 

“I doubt you could handle me,” He finally said as he rose and turned to head to the bedroom.

His hand was caught, “Oh, I can handle you, Hajime.  I know how rough you are, how much of a sadist you are.  I’ve known for a while now, thanks to Kenshin.  You see, you love to cause pain….and I love to feel it.  We are a perfect match.  Who else would be strong enough to hurt me?  Very few people, Kenshin, Aoshi Shinomori…and…you.  I have no interest in Kenshin, I’ve met Shinomori and while he’s a possibility he doesn’t like to cause pain.  That leaves you.  You enjoy causing pain, and I won’t break.  And on nights when I want to fight back, I won’t break you either.  We were made for each other.  Kenshin warned me not to do this, so don’t go yelling at him.”  By now Sano had risen as well and pressed his body against Saitou’s back. “I told him I would be play nice and all, but fuck, when I saw you last night.  I wanted you, I wanted every ounce of pain you could cause me.  So, are you gonna be the straight cop and follow the rules…. or are you gonna hurt me?”


	6. That was amazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lemon....you have been warned.

“Come on, cop, hurt me.  Kami, fuck me till I can’t even talk.”  With that statement Sano moved back a few steps and waited.  He’d played his cards and he could feel how much they had affected the other man.  Now he just had to wait and see how it would all play out.

Saitou held himself rigid as he weighed his options.  He wanted exactly what the fighter was offering and he knew what he said was true.  Here was someone who could take what he dished out, who welcomed it even.  Here was someone who would even lash back out at him on occasion.  It was so tempting; he had not wanted anything this bad in his life.  His brain was suddenly full of all those fantasies he had never entertained being fulfilled, because there had never been anyone both willing and strong enough to make them come true…until now.

Sano had no warning before he was pushed to the couch, Saitou straddling him again, burning gold eyes pinning him to the spot.  Saitou’s fingers wound into the spikey hair and yanked hard, “Fuck!” Sano cursed, his hands coming to rest on the older man’s hips, “Harder.”

Saitou obliged, jerking the spike riddled head back and biting the boy’s neck.  He bit down just hard enough to bruise, but not to break the skin before licking the spot.  “You have no idea how much I want to make you scream right now.” He growled before repeating the bite.

Sano moaned, “Kami, please.  Please, hurt me.”  His hands fisted in the soft cotton in the cop’s shirt.

“Ahou,” Saitou began, but stopped to kiss him, “have you forgotten that you were stabbed twice last night?”

Sano bucked his hips, “That shit is nothing.  I’ll be fine.  Come on, fuck me.  I know you want to.”  He moaned again, partly in frustration, as Saitou went back to biting him with far less force than he wanted.

Saitou traced the plains of his chest under his shirt, ghosting over the bandages covering one of the slashes from the night before.  He tugged the shirt over the boy’s head and bent his head back to kiss him again as soon as it was tossed to the floor.   One hand went back to the spikey hair, the other circled a nipple teasingly.  He pulled back from Sano’s lips, the hand in his hair preventing the boy from moving his head.  “You want pain?”  He asked as he kept up the teasingly light touch around first one nipple, then the other.

“Yes.” Sano panted, hands clenching and releasing against Saitou’s back.  Sano stared steadily into the burning gold, “Kami, yes.”

A wicked grin was the only warning before the teasing touch left and Saitou harshly pinched his nipple, digging a thumbnail into it.  Sano gasped, his eyes sliding shut a bit before Saitou tugged at his hair, “Ah Ah…eyes open, boy.  I want to see your eyes.”  He treated the other nipple to the same treatment and was rewarded with another curse as Sano’s eyes rolled back a bit.  “More?”

Sano tried to nod, but was prevented by the hand holding his head still.  Saitou grinned and ground his hips against Sano’s, “As much as I want to drag this out, neither of us is gonna last that long tonight.  And I refuse to rip those stitches.”  He rubbed himself harder against Sano for a moment, enjoying the gasps he received. “How much is enough?  I know what will work for me…how about you?  How much pain do you need?”  Saitou would have been surprised at his ability to voice this almost business like question, if he hadn’t been so hard.  He stopped moving and let go of Sano for a moment to give him enough space to be able to respond coherently.  It was intoxicating to be able to even have this opportunity, even if he couldn’t be as rough as he wanted…he could still be pretty damn rough.

Sano took a few moments to breathe and think, how much was enough?  He wanted it all, but the cop was right, ripping out the stitches in his wounds would be counterproductive.  The other man’s statement also left no doubt that once he was fully healed he would get the pain he wanted, so how much could he take tonight?

“Don’t prep me and seeing as I can’t have as much physical pain as I want…better make up for it in another way, ne?” He finally replied, taking the opportunity to remove the shirt he had been clutching at.  He looked up into those magnetic eyes, “Make me beg for it…”

Saitou stood and pulled him to his feet and up against him, “And here I thought I wouldn’t be fulfilling any fantasies tonight…”  He kissed the fighter again before he stepped back.  “Loose the pants, boy.”

Sano obeyed immediately and waited for the next order.  This was amazing, and the cop still had his pants on.  “On your knees.”

Sano wasted no time in dropping to his knees, looking up the lean body before him he waited again.  “Take my pants off.” Came the command almost immediately and as soon as he obeyed the next one followed just as quick, “Hands behind your back.”

Sano put his hands behind his back, lacing his fingers together.  Saitou stepped closer to him and he nearly forgot he was supposed to be submissive, he could not wait to taste the man in front of him.   Saitou smirked down at the fighter, “You want a taste?” he asked as he stroked himself lightly.  Sano could only moan as an answer, “You’d best answer, rooster.  You don’t answer I’m gonna stroke myself off and I won’t even come on your face.”

Sano shivered, “Yes, please, let me suck your dick.”  He begged, “I want you so bad, fuck, please…”

Saitou ran his fingers through the spikey hair, “Please what?”

Sano almost came on the spot at the tone of voice Saitou used, “Please, master.”  He whispered, licking his lips.  Saitou made a tiny pleased sounding growl and continued to run his fingers through his hair.  “Good boy.  Now suck.”

Sano did not need to be told twice, he leaned forward and took the older man in his mouth.  He bobbed his head a few times before Saitou griped the back of his head and shoved himself down his throat roughly.  A few moments later he stopped fucking the amazingly hot, wet mouth and let the boy catch his breath.  “You like that, bitch?”

Sano moaned, “Yes, fuck yes.  Please let me touch you, please master.”  Sano had never begged anyone for anything before, he’d never been submissive in any sexual encounter in his life, but he was finding the more he begged he more he was liking it.  He was sure it was just because it was Saitou Hajime, but he didn’t much care at this point.

“Not yet,” was Saitou’s nearly breathless reply.  It was intoxicating having someone who was so dominant obey him like this.  He shoved his dick back down his throat again, “Suck hard, baby.  Do a good job and I’ll reward you…”

Sano did as he was told with a harsh moan, he was going to come any second now, he was sure of it.  Saitou ripped him away again and allowed him to breathe.  He dropped to his knees in front of Sanosuke and kissed him hard.  “Kami, I want you.  I want to fucking watch you bleed while I fuck you.”

Sano moaned, “Oh, fuck yes.”  He started to bring his hands from behind his back but caught himself, Saitou noticed.

“Good boy.”  He growled as he began to lightly run his nails over Sano’s body, teasing with the lightest of scratches. “You are being so good, Sano.  That deserves a reward, don’t you think?”  Sano could only nod his agreement.  Saitou smirked and leaned in to kiss him as he dug his nails into the backs of his thighs and raked them upward, he then bit down on Sano’s lower lip harshly, splitting it and then sucking on it, loving the both the taste of blood and the wanton moan from the fighter.  “You want to come?” He whispered against his lips a moment later.

“Yes.” Sano hissed, blood still oozing from his split lip, “Please let me come, please.”

Saitou shivered and moved his hand to the boy’s cock, “Oh, Kami, you are so fucking amazing.”  He sucked on the still bleeding lip again as he stroked Sano lightly, “You like that?”  A strangled moan was all Sano could manage as an answer, “You want more, bitch?”  Sano nodded, moaning again.  “Beg me.  Beg me to let you come.  Use that pretty mouth of yours to beg me, baby.”

“Oh, oh.” Sano panted as he felt the other man’s hand tighten around his cock painfully, it was amazing. “Please, please, please.  Master, please let me come. Please let me come and then fuck me hard and come in my ass.  Oh, please.”   He was nearly sobbing at this point; Saitou was alternating between rough and gentle caresses to his cock while he alternated the praise and abuse from his mouth.  Sano had never felt so turned on in his life.  “Please, I need to come.  Please, please, please…”

As much as Saitou would have loved to have made the fighter beg all night, he knew he couldn’t last much longer and every begging half breath from the boy’s mouth only made him harder.  And as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he wanted to give the boy exactly what he was begging for.  He wanted to give him permission, to watch him come apart and then to fuck him hard and fill his ass with his come.  He couldn’t remember wanting anything as much in his life.  So, he quickened his pace and kissed Sano again, sucking at the split in his lip once more.  “Come for me, Zanza.  Come for your master.”

With a shout Sano obeyed, his orgasm hitting him hard and he lost control and grabbed Saitou’s head and kissed him fiercely as he thrusted into his hand franticly. It was better than any fight he’d ever been in.  Moments later he slumped against Saitou’s shoulder, panting hard.  Saitou was still lightly stoking his sensitive flesh wringing fresh moans from him, then he rose and pulled Sano with him to the couch.  He pulled Sano into his lap and kissed him hard.  Sano ran his hands over the body he had been forbidden to touch before causing Saitou to hiss in pleasure.  “Fuck me, master.”  Sano commanded in a low voice.

It was Saitou’s turn to moan as Sano stroked him, “I need you inside me, Hajime.  Now.”    Saitou grabbed Sano’s ass and pulled him forward, forcing Sano to use his shoulders to balance himself.  He slipped a finger down the crease of his ass and teased him, “You want me here?”  Sano nodded, gripping the older man’s shoulders.

Saitou pulled Sano down onto him, barely touching his entrance with the head of his cock.  “Beg, baby.”

Sano choked out the best reply his brain could come up with, “please…fuck..mast…”  He didn’t even finish it though before Saitou jerked him down onto him and buried himself balls deep in his ass.  Sano screamed, gripping Saitou’s shoulders even tighter.  “Fuck, yes!!!”  He screamed again as Saitou began fucking him mercilessly.  Jerking Sano down harshly as he bucked his hips up to meet him, growling all the while.

“Fuck, fuck…your ass is amazing.  Hell!”  Saitou growled, he knew he wouldn’t last much longer and he could feel Sano’s cock against him, hard again.  “Come on, baby, I want you to jerk yourself off while I fuck you…do it.”

Sano’s hand moved immediately to obey, gripping his cock and stroking himself hard and fast and Saitou pounded up into him, “Fuck, fuck, fuck…”  He chanted, his free hand wound into the hair at the nape of the older man’s neck.  “Oh, fuck.  Don’t stop…oh, hell, fill me…”

That was it, he wasn’t going to last another minute, “Look at me,” He commanded and as soon as Sano’s chocolate eyes met his, he doubled his pace. “Come with me, Sano, come with me now!”

Sano’s orgasm rushed upon him as he felt Saitou stiffen and they both abandoned any sense of rhythm they had and just gripped each other tightly as they rode out the pleasure.  Long minutes later Sano opened his eyes, Saitou was still buried in his ass, his hands still gripping his hips.  Sano’s hands were still gripping his spent cock and Saitou’s hair. Saitou smirked at him, his chin smeared with Sano’s blood.  Sano brought his come covered hand up between their faces and smeared his come over the cop’s lips, “Suck.” He commanded in a quiet tone.  Saitou’s eyes flashed and Sano felt his cock twitch in his ass as the cop did as he was told taking 3 of Sano’s fingers in his mouth and sucking them clean, he then proceeded to lick his entire hand clean.  By the time he was finished Sano was nearly breathless again.  Saitou pulled him down for a quick kiss before he eased him off his lap, Sano moaned as he fell over onto the couch and something occurred to him that should have been obvious before, if only his mind hadn’t been clouded by lust.

“You’ve never bottomed before, have you?”  He asked.

“No, but I have to admit, it was amazing.” Sano laughed tiredly.


	7. Mornin’ Sweetheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, things are about to hit the fan...

Awareness tricked back into Saitou’s brain slowly.  He was aware of sunlight from the window and the low hum of the garbage truck out on the street below, and of a strange warmth curled up to his back.  He felt amazingly rested, which was unusual, he couldn’t remember the last time he had slept soundly.  Then the previous night’s events came rushing back and it was all he could do not to get up and walk out the door and never look back.  What had he done?  His panicked brain tried to come up with some excuse, any excuse, but finally he got ahold of himself enough to think.

That was the real problem, Sagara Sanosuke make him loose his iron grip on everything.  He made him act like a human, like a person; made him act like someone he thought was long dead.  How had this annoying babysitting project made him feel things he had buried deep after the betrayal of his wife, moreover, how had he done it in less than 24 hours.  Saitou’s brain went on another brief sprint before he could pin it down again and think rationally, but before he could continue with his heavy thoughts the warmth burrowed against him yawned and stretched.  “Mornin’ ‘Jime…”

“Hn” was all the reply he allowed himself, he had to regain control over this situation.  He moved to get up, shaking Sano off him as he headed straight for the shower, locking the door behind him.  He stood under the shower with his head pressed against the cold tile trying to regain his sanity.  What had he done?  Compromised his beliefs, eh, maybe.  Compromised this mission, definitely.  He could walk away, he had enough standing to say to hell with it and walk off and let Himura finish this and never have to see the fighter again.  No one would say a thing to him, it would just be the cold, uncaring Wolf not continuing with a mission that was beneath him.  He would know the truth however, as would Kenshin and Sanosuke, that he would be running away.  Saitou Hajime had never run from anything in his life and he certainly wasn’t about to start now.  He had to get it together, had to deal with this.  He had to deal with this and _not_ loose himself, because that was the problem.  He had lost himself to Tokio, trusted her completely and where had that gotten him?  Here, apparently.

A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts, “Yo, hurry up man…I gotta go.”  He shook his head, and turned off the water.  He could deal with this, somehow, and kill Shishio.  He wasn’t running away, the Wolf of Mibu did not run.

“Seriously, man, about time.” Sano greeted him as he opened the door, “What am I supposed to do?  Piss in the sink?”

“Get a shower, Ahou.  I’m going out to get some breakfast, do not leave until I get back.”

__________________

Saitou returned nearly an hour later to find Kenshin seated on his couch, again.  He tossed a sack of biscuits on the table and knocked the red head’s feet out of his way, again.  This was all starting to feel very familiar.  Sano wasted no time in retrieving food for himself and tossing some to the others.

Saitou sat stoically as his babysitting project and one of the most annoying humans he had ever met laughed and cut up around mouths full of biscuits.  His mind was not sprinting nearly as fast it had been earlier; however, it was nowhere near settled and he was feeling decidedly homicidal.  His brain had firmly gotten a hold on the situation and deemed it highly unfavorable, and therefore he would act accordingly assholeish and get back to the man no one dared to approach or get close to.  The only problem was that there seemed to be some odd, foreign little imp that had sprung up in his head as well and it was alternately scampering about spouting stupid thoughts on having friends and lovers and then launching into tantrums worthy of a medal when his brain firmly told it no.  He could not for the life of him figure out where the little imp had come from, he had never had anything like the thoughts it tried repeatedly to place in his mind.  Even before the entire Tokio affair, as his brain had labeled the painful betrayal and divorce, he had been a stern, no nonsense kind of man.  He had even been a reserved child if he pushed himself to remember that far back.  What had this fool sitting next to him done to his brain?

It was at this point that he realized the fool in question was looking at him as though waiting for something.  He arched an eyebrow, “What, ahou?”

Sano snorted a half giggle, “Where have you been man?  I’ve asked you, like, ten times if you wanted to get out and do something today.”

Saitou didn’t even get a chance to answer however, as his phone buzzed in his pocket.  He checked the screen and frowned, it was the chief, he glanced towards Kenshin to see him looking at his phone as well. He flicked the screen to read the message: “Party set for 4. Be on time.  Bring the presents and decorations.”  He looked back up to see Kenshin frowning, “You too?”

“Hai.  This looks bad.” He turned his attention back to his phone and tapped out a quick reply _. Did you get the booze?_ A few seconds passed before the response came back, “Yes,” He read aloud. “Sake, Jack and Imported. Got snacks too.”

Saitou nearly threw his phone, “Fuck.”  Sano, who had remained unusually quiet while he meandered about the apartment peeked out the corner of a curtain before immediately turning and nudging Saitou’s shoulder. He nodded to the window and Saitou moved to the other corner and looked out.  Down on the street below were two of ShiShio’s men, with no doubt more hidden nearby. 

“We’ve been found out.” Himura said, his voice the deadly calm that Saitou remembered from the war.  Oddly it calmed him and he found himself falling into place, “Yes, let’s get going.  We need to move fast.”

He put a hand out and snagged Sano’s shoulder, “You, do not move from my side.  Understand?”

Sano’s cocky grin grew as he removed the hand on his shoulder and, much to Saitou’s surprise, kissed it softly, “Wouldn’t dream of it.  Why the hell would I leave my bodyguard?”  He let go of the hand and turned to Kenshin, “So, what’s our plan?”

Saitou shook himself mentally and glanced at Himura, they exchanged a look that was all too familiar.  A silent promise that everyone in the room would make it out alive.  He nodded slightly and began to gather all the presents and decorations they would need to bring to their little party.

“What did the messages mean?” Sano finally asked as they did final checks on all the weapons.  He stood still as Saitou finished fastening a bullet proof vest around him, “Where are we going?”

“A safe location, we will be meeting an extraction team.  It is highly likely that we will have to fight our way out.  Keep your head down and do not leave my side.”  Saitou said calmly.

Sano began to stretch, as if before a match, “I’m no baby, I can still fight.  These wounds are nothing.  You two handle the guns, I’ll handle he fists.”  Himura nodded and handed Sano a pair of black gloves, Sano grinned when he felt the weight of them…metal reinforced, the modern equivalent to brass knuckles.  Normally he would have scoffed and refused them, but he knew the odds were bad and he was taking any advantage given to him.  He had promises unfulfilled, dying wasn’t an option.

Finally, they were ready, all three looked amazingly normal but each hid an impressive assortment of body armor, guns and ammunition on their person.  The made their way down the stairs and paused only a few seconds at the buildings main door to await the planned arrival of their back up.  The black van pulled up to the curb as they opened the door and stepped through.

Sano took three steps out the door before the shooting started.


	8. Let 'em Fly

The noise seemed muted to Sano and every movement seemed so slow, even though he knew that everything was happening almost too fast.  The hail of bullets had him ducking and twisting as they made for the van, he saw more than one shooter fall dead in a halo of blood courtesy of Saitou.  Kenshin wouldn’t kill, he would wound and disable, but he wouldn’t kill and the thought that this was crueler than the wolf who never spared a life hit him in this moment; just another out of place thought as his fist slammed into face after face of the goons trying to get to him.  He grasped that he was not the object of the bullets very quickly as he beat his way through ShiShiO’s men.  That ShiShiO wanted him alive was a sure sign that he would die slowly if he was taken and he redoubled his efforts grinning at the feel of bones snapping against his knuckles.

How long could it take to move 20 feet?  It seemed every second lasted an hour to him and then time suddenly snapped into nauseating, blurring fast forward as he watched Saitou twist back and growl when a bullet slammed into his shoulder.  The wolf quickly readjusted his stance and shot 2 more men, but Sano could see the grimace on his face and smell the blood.  He saw red and the next man who tried to take him fell dead.  He saw Kenshin reach the van and throw open the door, heard him call to him.  He looked back for Saitou and saw him down on one knee, still firing.  He heard a roar, but did not know where it came from and he looked at the 2 gunmen who were still able to fire, they were going to kill Saitou.  He didn’t remember the steps he took to get to them, but the crunch of the bones in their hands and their cries of pain were satisfying.  He said something to them, he couldn’t hear what he was saying for the roaring in his skull as he bashed their heads together and then turned back to the wolf.  He was still on one knee, his head down and his uninjured arm coming up to grip at his shoulder.

Sano stalked to him and pulled him up and over his shoulder and turned back to the van.  Kenshin’s eyes were wide as he watched him, but he did not speak as Sano laid Saitou in the floor and climbed in after him.  The door shut and they were gone, tires squealing.  Sano heard his name and he turned to face Kenshin.  The redhead did not speak to him once he had his attention but silently handed him a towel and turned his attention to wrapping something over the wounds in Saitou’s shoulder and leg.  Somehow the wolf was still alert and he grimaced a bit as pressure was applied to his leg, he looked at Sanosuke, who still had not done anything more than hold the towel.  “Ahou,” he half growled, “wipe your hands off and hand me something to drink.”

Sano shook his head to clear it, the roaring was slowly ebbing away and he shook his head to acknowledge the words.  He began to wipe his hands and for the first time he actually looked at them.  They were red, the gloves soaked with blood.  That was not the thing that held his horrified attention, it was the greyish matter that clung to the gloves and his hands in places.  He knew what is was, but he couldn’t account for how it got there.  He closed his eyes and tugged the gloves off, tossing them in the corner and finished cleaning his hands.  He didn’t want to dwell on the substance or how it got there, he knew that he would remember it soon and he knew he would regret it.  He glanced over at his companions, no, he probably wouldn’t regret it this time; but it had been a lifetime since he had taken a life, especially in such a manner.  He tossed the wolf a can of whatever was in a small cooler in the back and grabbed one for himself and Kenshin as well.  No one spoke as the driver continued out of town.  There was no need at this point.  They all settled back and waited to arrive to where ever it was they would end up.  The only move Sano made was to place his now clean hand over Saitou’s, the wolf glanced at him but kept silent.  He nodded his head a bit to the fighter and it wasn’t long before all 3 of them were dozing.  _What a fucked-up morning_ , was the only thought Sano had before he dozed off.

\--------

A bump awoke Sano sometime later, he blearily looked around as the van pulled into a garage and the door closed.  The doors slid open and the most annoying accent he had heard assaulted his ears.

“So, boss, ‘ave a good day?” The annoying didn’t end at the voice.  Blonde hair that made a used broom look neat, an outfit that looked like a 3-year old’s first attempt at sewing and the fact that, for some reason, the man seemed to constantly squint one of his eyes completed the picture. “Aye, Himura, how ya doin’?” 

Kenshin nodded and helped Saitou to stand and limp to a chair, “Chou, stop being you and get one of the precinct doctors.  And for the love of Kami, do it quietly!” The wolf snapped as he accepted a file from a more traditionally uniformed officer.  “Someone get me the chief on a secure line and do it quickly…and get me a beer and something for a headache!”

Sano sat in the open door of the van, a bit bemused at this new side of Saitou Hajime.  He wanted to laugh, but he pushed it away.  “So, who is the broom head?”

Saitou looked up at him, one side of his mouth pulled into a smirk, “Broom head, I think I’ll use that one.” He grinned again, “That is Chou, my ever so annoying underling.  He is quite possibly the bane of my existence; however, he can be vaguely useful.”  Chou sputtered in indignation as he rounded the corner with a small man in a white coat.  Saitou cut off the incoming whining with a wave of his hand and spoke to the apparent doctor, “I took a hit to the shoulder and one to the upper leg.  Himura did a decent job of patching me up on the fly.”

“Hmm” was the only answer given as the man began with the shoulder, carefully unwrapping it.  Another man wheeled a cart out, which seemed to be a medical cart and the doctor went to work. “I assume, Fujita-san, that you will forego the pain and numbing medication as usual?”

“Hn.” Replied the wolf as he downed half a beer and whatever had been brought for his headache, which seemed to bother him far more than 2 gunshot wounds. “Yes, I’m afraid we are not done traveling and I need to be alert.  Thank you for being here, doctor.”

The small man nodded and continued his work quietly.  Sano watched him and everything else around him, feeling apart from it all.  He felt as if he was in a bubble and if he moved or spoked it would burst, he was not entirely sure if that would be a good thing so he sat still and quiet and watched as the police went about preparing several other vehicles for what would presumably be the rest of their journey.

Kenshin sat in a corner on the phone, looking tense and almost angry.  Someone had brought a phone to Saitou and he spoke in hushed tones to whoever was on the other end.  The other officers joked and chatted as they went about their jobs, only Sano sat quiet and still, apart from it all.  Chou sent a few curious looks his way, but was never given a chance to bother him as Saitou kept him busy.  Sano wondered what would happen when he finally allowed this bubble to pop, what would he feel, or say.  Would there be questions?  Would Kenshin ever even speak to him again?  What would the wolf say?  What the hell was even going to happen now, who was going with them to where ever this safe house was?  He could feel himself getting annoyed and he pushed himself up to his feet and wandered around aimlessly, he could feel the eyes on him as he walked but he refused to look at either man.  What he had done today was unforgivable, but right now he couldn’t feel bad about it.  Saitou was alive, that was all that mattered for some reason.  Just the thought of a world without the wolf was something he could not even contemplate.  Whatever happened with Saitou after this, it didn’t matter as long as he was alive. 

“Sanosuke, we will leave in about an hour.” Kenshin called to him, “You can take a shower in the back if you’d like, there are clothes to change into as well.”  He turned and nodded to his friend, a shower would be good.  Maybe that would return a little of his normality to him.


	9. Solitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a time jump here. Half of the chapter is Sano's thoughts and memories. A very quiet chapter as he figures out his thoughts.

Deep brown eyes snapped open as Sanosuke gasped for breath.  That damn dream again.  He felt like it had been eons since he had rested, since he had gotten even an undisturbed afternoon nap.  He threw his arm over his eyes as he tried to calm his breath, he could hear faint noises from his fellow captives/roommates.  It had been around a month since they had fought their way out of ShiShiO’s trap, though it felt like so much longer.  He had remained withdrawn, blaming it on not sleeping well.  In truth, he could not come to grips with what he had done that day, couldn’t get past the look he had seen in Kenshin’s eyes. 

He had been friends with the red headed man for a long time, their friendship easy and light.  They admired each other, neither wanting to return to a life of killing, but not willing to walk away and do nothing.  Then ShiShio had come along and he had agreed to help, but it had not gone smoothly and that damn wolf had been called in.  He had heard all of Kenshin’s stories from the war, stories of narrow escapes and how he would have never made it home without Saitou’s help.  Of course, Kenshin had many opinions of the man, not all good.  Saitou was not above killing to protect his country and keep the peace, Saitou was an insufferable ass, he was severely lacking in social skills and patience. He had a superiority complex and a love of inflicting pain, that while kept under an iron will, had been made worse by something Kenshin would never talk about; and there was where Sano had just been so naïve and stupid.  He was a masochist, but could take a sadistic turn as well.  However, his strength was something he had to keep leashed, less he kill.  Years of hate and war and finally painfully learned control had left him lonely.  Finding someone who wanted to share his bed was never a problem, finding someone who could handle his full strength had been impossible.

Sano cursed out loud as he ran these thoughts through his mind for the millionth time.  He had been so sure he could just play with the man, just have fun.  He had been warned by Kenshin to leave it and not do anything so stupid, but then he met the wolf and he could not resist the temptation.  What he had intended in some serious side fun while getting this assignment over with changed within hours of his one night with Saitou Hajime.  He didn’t know if he loved the man, he’d never been in love before, but he did know he loved what he could do to him.  The fact that he could let go was, apparently, a very powerful and addicting thing.  He had killed that day, and in such a brutal way as to nearly tear his soul in half.  At that moment, only the emotion that Saitou could not die mattered and he made sure the threats were eliminated.  Was that love?  He didn’t know, he just knew that the thought of a world without such a powerful force in it was wrong.  It wasn’t a world he could live in.  He finally pulled himself out of the bed and dared to go downstairs.  He didn’t look forward to it, the past month had been hell. 

He felt like Kenshin and Saitou were avoiding him, leaving him out of conversations.  Or maybe it was just he was trying to hide away and not see that look in Kenshin’s eyes.  Whatever it was, he loathed it.  He had never been good at this crap, it was why he didn’t really have friends.  He sighed as he fished around in the fridge for something to eat.  Kenshin sat outside on a quiet porch with Saitou, he could hear the muffled sounds of their voices.  He closed the fridge and leaned his head against it…a month was enough time to sulk, he figured he needed to try to get back to normal.

Kenshin looked up as he walked out on the porch with food in hand and sat at the small table.  He tossed a beer to the two other men and dug into his sandwich, barely looking up.  Kenshin caught his beer and offered quiet thanks, Saitou sat the can on the table and took another drag off his cigarette.  Sano felt like he was sitting in front of a crowd of thousands, but he ignored it and continued to eat.  A buzz nearby caused him to look up as Saitou checked his phone, he got up and headed back into the house as he answered it.

The quite continued for a few minutes more, but before he could finish his food and retreat back in the house Kenshin spoke quietly.  “It’s good to have you join us, Sano.”

Sano shrugged, “Yeah, I was getting a bit restless.”  He chugged his beer, hoping it would give him some magical insight on how to set his world right again.  It didn’t, but Kenshin seemed to understand what he was trying to do.  He sipped his beer and stretched, “You know, Sano, when I first came back from the war things were hard and awkward with my friends for a while.  It was hard to look at them and I kept thinking that they hated me for the things I had done while protecting the country I loved.”

Sano looked up finally, Kenshin was looking off into the tree line, thankfully, seeming a little lost in his thoughts, then he spoke again. “I knew they all hated me for all the killing.  I felt they judged me harshly, that they called me horrible things and sometimes I even did those things to myself in my own mind.  Tomoe, “he paused a moment, swallowing at the memory of his wife, “she let it go on for a bit, but then one day she sat me down and talked some sense into me.   Do you know what she said?”

Sano shook his head, Kenshin rarely talked of his late wife.  Sano had met him after her death and it was a subject that hardly ever came up and when it did, a sharp glare from Kenshin tended to shut talk down quickly.  “No, what?” He nearly whispered, afraid that a voice any louder would bring Kenshin back to his senses and he would stop his tale.

Kenshin smiled a bit, remembering. “She told me that I should never be ashamed for protecting those I love.  That the killing was behind me and I had become a new man and that no one had the right to judge me.  I had done what was necessary to come home and to protect the country and I should be proud of it. “He paused to huff a small laugh at the memory, “And then she told me to go clean the kitchen.”

Sano laughed without meaning to, “Sorry, Kenshin.  It’s just…”

Kenshin waved his apology off, “It was funny.  I had been so wrapped up in it all in my mind and she just wrapped it all up and then gave me a bit of perspective.  I remember how much my view changed after that night.  How much more at ease I was, it was brilliant really.”  He rose from his seat, “You saved his life, yes, the method was shocking but I have been in that place myself.  I’ve saved his life in horrible ways too.  The man hates me and much of the time I feel the same way about him, but we are more alike than we care to admit…and a world without the steadfast honor of Hajime would be wrong.  You may have shocked me, but I do not judge you for it.  He doesn’t either…. though he is an ass and won’t ever say it.  Don’t slowly kill yourself with worry, Sanosuke, and maybe you should clean the kitchen tonight”

With that Kenshin was gone into the house and Sano was left sitting in the quiet.  It took him several minutes to finally get it all straight in his mind and when it finally clicked into place he laughed.  Laughed at himself and at Kenshin’s lesson.  He sent a silent thanks to Tomoe for teaching him this lesson so long ago, because he had learned it well and had taught it to someone else. 


	10. A Change in Perspective

 

Sano did clean the kitchen that night after dinner.  He had done it more in honor of the memory of Tomoe, a woman who helped him even though he had never met her, but as he washed the dishes he realized that this little chore was actually a part of the lesson.  As he washed, rinsed and dried he had time to think about all Kenshin said.  The normalcy of it did give him a new perspective, he was surprised by this until it all clicked in his mind.  By the time he had the counters wiped down and the floor swept he was feeling more peaceful and more like himself than he had in weeks.   He laughed softly to himself as he put the broom away, what a woman Kenshin’s late wife must have been to have been so wise when she was still so young. 

He smelt the smoky breath of Saitou before he heard his voice next to him, “Well, you can clean up after yourself.”  Sano glanced over to see him leaning on the counter next to him, hair wet from a shower and a pair of old sweats hanging low on his hips.  He took another drag of the cigarette as he waited for Sano to respond.

Sano leaned back on the counter as well, “Yeah, I can play house alright if I need to.  Gimmie a drag of that?”  He held his hand out for the cigarette and after a moment it was given to him.  He took a satisfying drag and savored it before handing it back.

“Didn’t take you for a smoker.” Was all Saitou said as he took the cigarette back and finished it.  He ran a little water over the stub and tossed it in the trash. “Thought you just liked to swim in alcohol.”  He nudged Sano’s arm and started toward the back door, “Walk with me.”

Sano’s eyebrows went up, “Walk with you?  It’s nearly 10 damn o’clock…where are you gonna walk?”  Despite saying this he followed the man out the door and across the yard into the tree line.  Saitou didn’t answer him, just walked a step ahead of him until after about 10 minutes they came to a small clearing and a medium sized lake.  It was a scene Sano was familiar with, just not in the dark.  He had spent hours sulking here and restlessly training during the weeks they had been in hiding.  It was beautiful, if you were into that sort of thing, and less confining than the cabin he had been sharing with the other two men.  “So, why are we here?”

Saitou looked out over the lake for a moment, “Well, _someone_ thinks you and I should talk.  I’m not one for talking much, but he can get annoying and since I am stuck with him, I figured I’d better at least make it look like I talked to you.”

Sano huffed, yes, he was definitely an ass.  “So, what?  We sit here for an hour and stare at the water and swat bugs just to make your life easier?”  He felt a little annoyed, but he wasn’t sure if it was at Kenshin trying to get Saitou to talk to him, at Saitou for not really wanting to talk to him or at himself for expecting anything different.  While he was trying to sort this out he was caught off guard by Saitou as the man pulled him close, he immediately tried to knock him away, but Saitou caught his arms and pinned them by his side.  “What the fuck, Hajime?”

Saitou grinned a bit, “I’m not much on talking, but there are other things we could do in place of bug swatting.”  His eyes seemed to glow in the dim moonlight and Sano shook his head a bit.  This he had not expected.  He tried to get this thought across, but the most intelligent thing he could come up with was a slightly confused, “The fuck?”  Which got another soft laugh from Saitou, “If I let you go are you going to hit me?”

Sano thought about that, and realized that it was a legitimate thing for the man to ask.  He did just grab him without warning, Sano was a person who tended to react first and bandage cuts later. 

He shook his head a little, “Only if you try to hit me.  You try to fight dirty and I will break you, wolf.” This got an actual laugh from the man holding him, but the arms around him loosened. “You couldn’t break me if you tried.”  Saitou took a step away from him, and waited. Sano sighed, “God, you are an ass. You don’t want to talk, you don’t want to swat bugs. There are things you’d rather do, but you want to make sure I won’t hit you first, that about it?”

“Pretty much covers it.  I didn’t want Himura lurking around while we were together.  He’s annoying and for some god forsaken reason I can’t seem to get rid of him.” Saitou pulled Sano to him again and kissed him, softly.  Sano blinked, and after a moment returned the kiss just as softly. Saitou pulled away from his lips, but leaned his forehead against Sano’s own. “Listen, kid…” He paused as he felt Sano stiffen at the term “kid”, “Sanosuke.  I don’t like to talk, but I can do it.” His hands rested at Sano’s waist, thumbs idly rubbing circles as he spoke. For some reason that he couldn’t fully understand, Sano felt a little nervous.

“Just spit it out, Saitou.” He growled in his nervousness, “I don’t actually run and tell Kenshin everything that happens in my life.  If you don’t want him to know, I’m not going to tell him whatever it is you want to say.” He couldn’t decide where his hands needed to go and finally settled on wrapping his arms around the wolf’s neck and letting his fingers twine into his hair.  “You’re kinda freakin’ me out with all this hesitation and, what the fuck was with the gentle kiss and shit and listen…just…” He didn’t get to finish as Saitou slammed his mouth back to his, no gentleness present for this kiss. Sano gasped and opened his mouth immediately to allow Saitou’s tongue to rub against his.  This was more like the wolf, it was hot and hard, taking and giving at the same time. 

Sano had not realized he had pressed himself closer to Saitou until the man pulled back and pushed him slightly to put a bit of distance between them, they were both breathing hard as they looked at each other, trying to read the other’s thoughts.  Sano tugged the older man’s hair roughly, “Listen, just say it. This isn’t like you…you’re an ass…so just spit it out. I’m a big boy, I can take whatever it is.”

Saitou let him go completely, “You can take it, huh?” He asked in a low voice.  There was an odd look in his eyes, something Sano had seen before but only in the mirror.  He struck out at the wolf, he figured if Saitou needed a little prodding a good punch would do the trick.

And it did, a full half hour later he found himself on his back, Saitou above him due to the fact that he had grabbed him when the wolf had swept his legs from under him.  He was bleeding from a busted lip and a few other cuts and Saitou was sporting a bloody nose and a black eye. “Fuck, I want you.” Was the only warning Sano received before Saitou attacked his mouth again, this time without the fists.

They parted after a few minutes and Sano smirked up at the bloody face above him, “You really are like me.  You understand a punch better than anything else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm...does the wolf have a heart? Or does he just want sex???


	11. Note

I am placing this fic on hold for a bit. I've just hit a bit of a roadblock and need some time. I have maybe a chapter and a half that I've done and not posted...but I'm not happy with it and I think I just need to step away. I may focus on something completely different for a bit...not sure yet. I'll be back as soon as I find some inspiration on this.

 

4/9/18  I did go back and change the last chapter.  I may start back on this in a bit...not sure.  I'm doing some character creation for some other stuff that has nothing to do with this and it's hard to keep my head straight these days.


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